Fire-escape.



No. 650,733. Patented May 29, 1900. W. A. SHAW.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed. June 28, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

we mmms PETERS 00., Puofaufna. wnsnmumu, n c

(No Model.)

Patented May 29, I900. W. A. SHAW.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed June 23, 1899.)

2 Sheets$heet 2.

THE "cams PETERS cu. PHOTO LITHO. WASH\NGTGN D. c.

i'Vii'LtiAM A. SHAW, on ORANGE, NEW JEttsE'r'.

FIRE-ESCAPE;

srncrrronrxon forming part or Letters Pa e No. 656,733, sea May 29, 1900.

Application filed June 23,1899. Serial No. 721.574.. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SHAW, of Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

One object of my invention is to provide a fire-escape capable of being readily placed in position upon any building and at any open ing on the building, the fire-escape being furthermore capable of being folded up out of the way when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the fire-escape that a person may descend without assistance through its use and the person descending may be guided in his descent by aperson below or by a person stationed near the opening at which the support for the escape is located.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fire-escape that will be exceedingly simple and durable, as well as economic, and whidch may be conveniently and safely operate The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be'had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a window-frame and adjacent portion of a building, illustrating the improved fire-escape in side elevation and in operative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the chair used in connection with the fire-escape. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the window-frame and adjacent portion of the building, illustrating the application thereto of a slightly-modified form of a support or hanger for the fire-escape. Fig. at is a vertical section through a Window-frame and adjacent portion of the building, illustrating another modification in the construction of the hanger or support for the fire-escape; and Fig. 5 is avertical section taken practically on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

A plate 10 is secured firmly to the outer side wall of the window-frame A or the equivalent thereof, and an arm 11 is pivotally attached to the plate 10, which arm is sup ported in a horizontal position by a chain 12 or its equivalent attached to an eye 13 at the outer end of the arm 11 and to an eye 14, located near the top of the said window frame, as shown in Fig. 1. Brackets 15 and 16 are secured to the arm 11, said brackets extendingvertically downward from the arm, and the two brackets are connected by a bar 17 or a like device, and a peripherally-grooved pulley 18 is mounted to turn at the lower portion of each of saidbrackets 15 and 16. When the arm 11 is not required, itisfolded up out of the way against the side of the window frame, being raised or lowered through the medium of a cord 19, attached to the eye 13 of the arm 11 and passed over a guide-pulley 20, attached to the top portion of the window-frame A. The other end of the cord 19 extends within easy reach of a person standing'at the window, and a cleat 21 of any approved construction is provided, around which the free end of the operating-cord 19 may be wound when the arm 11 is in its upper position.

A rope or cable 22, preferably made of wire, is passed over the pulleys 18, suspended from the arm 11, and one end of the said cable 22 is wound around a reel 23 or is so coiled that when the fire-escape is to be used this end of the cable may be thrown-from the window, so as to reach the ground and enable a person on the ground at a point below the window at which the escape is located to regulate the descent of a person and draw the cage 0, to be hereinafter described, up to the window to receive another occupant. The rope or cable 22 is passed to an engagement with a clutch B, secured to the window-frame at the same side at which the arm 11 is connected. This clutch B may be of any suitable or preferred construction. As shown in the drawings, it consists of a body-plate provided with oppositely-located fixed jaws 24. and 25,whose opposing edges are convexed, and the cable 22 is passed between these jaws and is capable at that time of comparatively free movement; but the passage of the cable between the jaws may be entirely stopped or retarded to a greater or lesser degree by means of an eccentric 26, pivoted to one of the jaws and arranged to clamp the cable between its periphery and the opposing jaw.

The cage 0, above referred to, is adapted for attachment to what is normally the upper end of the cable 22. This cage is collapsible, so that it may be folded and stored in a small compass, and the cage preferably consists of a bottom plate 27, which rests upon crossbars 28, the beams extending beyond the corners of the plate 27, as shown in Fig. 2, together with an upper three-piece rail 29 and chains 30 or their equivalents, which chains are secured to the outer extremities of the cross-beams 28 and the end port-ions of the members of the top rail 29, and said chains are carried above said top rail and are eonnected at their upper ends by a ring 31 or a like device, and through the medium of this ring or connecting device 31 the cage 0 is secured to the cable 22. Any suitable device may be provided for the cage or chair capable of holding a young child therein-as, for example, a strap and buckle; but no matter how the chair or cage is constructed at the openend portion of the rail 29 a chain or strap 32 is permanently secured to one member of the rail and is adapted for attachment to the opposing member of said rail, as shown in Fig. 2. A guide-line 33 is attached to the bottom of the cage or chair 0, preferably at its center, and

' this line is adapted to extend downward within reach of persons on the sidewalk, for example, and through the medium of the line the cage or chair may be swung out from possible engagement with the side of the building or projecting ledges as said cage is descending or out of the reach of flames from any lower window. In the event an attendant is at the window through which the escape has been passed the attendant will clamp the cable 22 in the clutch 13, thus holding the chair stationary until it receives its occupant, and said attendant may then control the descent of the chair by causing the eccentric lever 26 to bind to a greater or lesser extent upon said supportingcable 22. If, however, a person is on the sidewalk and is capable of taking hold of the lower end of the supporting-cable, the proposed occupant of the chair will secure the chair in position. through the medium of the clutch B, and after entering the chair will release the supporting-cable 22 from the clutch, so that the person on the sidewalk and having hold of the supporting-cable may control the rapidity of the descent of the chair, and when the occupant has alighted may draw the chair upward to receive another occupant. In the event, however, one is alone and the help of no person is available from below or in the room from which the escape is to be made under the improved construction of fire-escape it is possible for the person in the chair to control the rapidity of the descent unaided. This is accomplished by placing a split tube 34:, of elastic material,

on the cable 22 between the hanger or support for the cable and the clutch B. After the person is seated in the chair the cable is entirely freed from the clutch B just after the occupant of the chair has passed one hand through a loop 35, attached to the split tube 34, and has grasped the said split tube. This tube will slide down the cable, and the rapidity of the descent of the occupant of the chair will be controlled by the freedom with which the said split sleeve or tube is permitted to slide along the cable.

\Vhen the device is not in use and the supporting-arm thereof has been folded up, the supporting-cable is disengaged from the pulleys 18, the chair is folded up, and the chair and parts connected therewith may then be stored away in a box or chest 36 or equivalent device located within the apartment close to the window.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a slight modification in the application of the supportingarm for the supporting-cable. This arm 3'7 (shown in Fig. 3) is pivoted upon a bracket 38, that is seen red to the wall and extends into the room adjacent to one of the side members of the window-frame A. The arm 37 is provided with brackets 39, having grooved pulleys attached thereto, the brackets 39 corre spondin g to the brackets 15 and 10, (shown in Fig. 1,) and when the arm 37 is not required it is carried into the room parallel with the wall and rests upon a projection 40 from the side wall, as shown in positive lines in Fig. 3; but when the supporting-arm 37 is to be brought into use it is carried outward through the window-frame to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and the arm will then rest upon a projection 41 from the side of the window-frame or adjacent portion of the wall of the building.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated another modification of the support for the supporting-cw ble. This form of the support is designated as 42 and is especially adapted to be used in warehouses or like buildings. The support 42 is in the form of a horizontal track that is permanently secured to a side of the windowframe, extending beyond both inner and outer longitudinal edges of the frame, said track having upturned ends l8. This track re ceives a carriage D, and said carriage consists of hangers 44, connected by suitable bars 45 and provided with friction-rollers 46, that bear upon-the upper face of the track 42, while peripherally-grooved pulleys 4-7 are carried by the bifurcated lower ends of the hangers. Thus it will be observed that when the carriage is not required it may be placed at the inner end of the track and when in use at the outer end, being quickly conveyed from one of said points to the other. The hangers 15 16 may likewise be bifurcated at their lower ends, and when the hangers are so constructed the cable 22 is passed through the bifurcated portions of the hangers above the grooved pulleys carried thereby. Such construction of the hangers will prevent the cable leaving them.

I desire it to be understood that any suitable form of guides may be provided at the grooved pulleys over which the supportingcable is to be passed, so that said cable will not be liable to jump or slip from the pulleys.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a fire-escape, a supporting-arm arranged for pivotal attachment to a frame, brackets mounted on said arm, means for holding said arm in a horizontal position whereby to hold said brackets outside of the frame, means for holding said arm raised whereby to withdraw the brackets, pulleys mounted in said brackets, and a supportingcable passed over said pulleys,-as set forth. 2o

2. In a fire-escape, a supporting-arm arranged for pivotal attachment to a frame, brackets on said arm, a connection between the said frame and the free end of said arm whereby to hold the latter in a horizontal po- 25 in said brackets and a supporting-cable 0' passed over said pulleys, as set forth.

WVILLIAM A. SHAW.

Witnesses:

J. FRED. ACKER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

